How to choose a fishing boat
Much depends on the correct choice of a boat for fishing, so go to the solution of the issue in all seriousness. What to choose, an inflatable PVC boat for fishing, a boat with a rigid hull, a combined fishing boat or a practically full-fledged boat for sea fishing, you decide. A brief overview of fishing boats will help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
Fishing boats from the USA
If we take the experience of the United States, where the passion for sport fishing has turned into a whole industry with a multimillion number of fans of this type of recreation, the most characteristic example is the so-called Bass Fishing - catching the large-pitched American bass perch. One of the attributes of this sport is the special courts, which we have received the name "bashatniks":
- such fishing boats have a fairly low side;
- the presence of a wide, flat area inside the cockpit is required to maximize the ease of spinning fishing during casting and subsequent prey fishing.
Also, these fishing boats from the USA are interesting in that it is on them that the most efficiently implemented installation scheme of two outboard boat motors of different powers. The marching engine of high power allows you to develop high speed and quickly move through the reservoir for considerable distances in search of the most promising fishing spots. When such a place is found, then a small electric motor with remote control comes into play, ensuring the movement of the boat only in the fishing area and at low speed. However, the experience of using such “bashatniks” in Russia was extremely unsuccessful. Especially in such reservoirs popular among fishermen as Lake Ladoga, Lake Onega and the Rybinsk Reservoir. The low side of these fishing boats does not allow you to go far from the shore, not to mention going fishing even with minor excitement. Such boats are not suitable for our natural conditions.
Which fishing boats are the most popular in Russia?
Which fishing boats are the most popular in Russia?
Inflatable fishing boats
The most popular domestic vessels are PVC inflatable fishing boats:
- they do not take up much space during storage;
- they are conveniently transported folded;
- they cost much less than ships with a rigid hull at similar sizes.
How to choose a PVC inflatable boat for fishing
Regarding the use of PVC inflatable boats for fishing, there are several important points here. The manufacturers of these ships offer several options for the floor of the boat, the main types are:
- hard floor made of waterproof plywood or aluminum flooring;
- inflatable floor low or high pressure (Air Deck).
Inflatable boats equipped with a rigid aluminum floor are categorically not suitable for fishing. Despite the neat appearance, in the water every step on them is given by a real peal of thunder. This action is very well observed on the screen of the echo sounder, when after any careless movement the fish under the boat quickly spreads out in different directions.
The use of fishing boats equipped with a high pressure floor (Air Deck)also seems to be avery dubious pleasure.Their main advantage over other inflatable boats is the convenience and ease of assembly. Adjusted to the working pressure, Air Deck allows you to get an even hard floor with a density that is not inferior to plywood, but the weight of the boat is significantly reduced and it begins to behave rather unstable on water. This is not reflected in the boat’s driving performance, but only a person with a very well-developed vestibular apparatus can stand in it. It is clear what inconvenience arises when fishing for spinning in the cast. On inflatable boats with a low pressure floor, this effect is almost completely absent.
Thus, models of boats with an aluminum floor and a high-pressure bottom belong to pleasure boats and their use for sport fishing is undesirable.
The use of fishing boats equipped with a high pressure floor (Air Deck)also seems to be avery dubious pleasure.Their main advantage over other inflatable boats is the convenience and ease of assembly. Adjusted to the working pressure, Air Deck allows you to get an even hard floor with a density that is not inferior to plywood, but the weight of the boat is significantly reduced and it begins to behave rather unstable on water. This is not reflected in the boat’s driving performance, but only a person with a very well-developed vestibular apparatus can stand in it. It is clear what inconvenience arises when fishing for spinning in the cast. On inflatable boats with a low pressure floor, this effect is almost completely absent.
Thus, models of boats with an aluminum floor and a high-pressure bottom belong to pleasure boats and their use for sport fishing is undesirable.
Tuning inflatable boats for fishing
A purchased PVC inflatable boat is essentially a semi-finished product. In order to make a real fishing boat out of this vessel that meets all the requirements and expectations of the owner, as well as prepare it for the type of fishing that will be given the most preference, the inflatable boat must be thoroughly tuned. The modern possibilities of additional equipment for inflatable boats with special accessories designed for fishing are practically unlimited. The most popular and tested by many users option forpreparing an inflatable PVC motor boat for fishingits equipment can be considered a targa - an arch for trolling. It makes it possible to install several rods, and can also serve to carry signal lights and even a searchlight. It will not be superfluous to install on the sides of the boat for fishing glasses for spinning rods and mounting blocks for displaying a fish finder and a GPS navigator inside the cockpit so that it is convenient for the driver to read data from them. In addition to tuning the upper part on an inflatable boat for fishing, additional reinforcement on the bottomwill not prevent it, which will protect it from punctures when going ashore or overcoming shallow rocky areas.
Rigid hull fishing boats
Motor boat of PVC is the best choice for those fishermen who are facing the problem of transport and storage vessel in the off-season, but if such a problem does not exist, then it makes sense to pay attention to the boat with a rigid body up to 5-5.5 m.
Vodnomotornikam motor boats such as Kazanka, Progress, Dnepr, Ob and others are well known, the mass production of which was established back in the days of the Soviet Union. And despite the fact that the age of some of them today exceeds the mark of 30 years, they can still be found on the reservoirs of our country from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, where they faithfully serve their owners. Nevertheless, all of them were originally designed as pleasure or traveling vessels that were not intended for sport fishing.
And a lot of time passed before the concept of a motor boat of relatively small size was formed in our country for engaging in an active form of recreation on the water. This concept includes the following: a motor boat for fishingshould have a cockpit as open as possible with the mandatory possibility of passage into its bow. Inside the fishing boat there should be numerous lockers for storing things and fishing tackle, as well as rod holders designed in such a way that there is nothing superfluous under the legs when moving and during fishing. These measures serve to increase not only comfort, but also the level of safety when fishing from a boat. In the hull between the deck and the bottom, such fishing boats havea separate locker, tightly closed by a lid and which is a regular place to store the catch. Often such boats are additionally equipped with an arch for trolling and other devices designed to facilitate the fishing process. The hulls of modern motor boats for fishing are madeof two main materials - metal and plastic. Almost all of them are planing vessels, developing a sufficiently high speed, which allows you to quickly get to the place of fishing. For such ships, the best solution would be to install four-stroke outboard outboard motors that operate stably at low speeds. Four-stroke engines can operate at low speeds for a long time and thus provide a low speed, and this is very important when trolling.
What is better for a motor boat for fishing - metal or plastic? It all depends on the personal preferences of the owner. As a rule, fiberglass vessels have a more attractive and neat appearance than metal ones, but at the same time, the latter are easier to maintain. Practice shows that for personal use the best option is a plastic fishing boat, but metal ones are better for satisfying the needs of fishing bases and other commercial uses.
Vodnomotornikam motor boats such as Kazanka, Progress, Dnepr, Ob and others are well known, the mass production of which was established back in the days of the Soviet Union. And despite the fact that the age of some of them today exceeds the mark of 30 years, they can still be found on the reservoirs of our country from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, where they faithfully serve their owners. Nevertheless, all of them were originally designed as pleasure or traveling vessels that were not intended for sport fishing.
And a lot of time passed before the concept of a motor boat of relatively small size was formed in our country for engaging in an active form of recreation on the water. This concept includes the following: a motor boat for fishingshould have a cockpit as open as possible with the mandatory possibility of passage into its bow. Inside the fishing boat there should be numerous lockers for storing things and fishing tackle, as well as rod holders designed in such a way that there is nothing superfluous under the legs when moving and during fishing. These measures serve to increase not only comfort, but also the level of safety when fishing from a boat. In the hull between the deck and the bottom, such fishing boats havea separate locker, tightly closed by a lid and which is a regular place to store the catch. Often such boats are additionally equipped with an arch for trolling and other devices designed to facilitate the fishing process. The hulls of modern motor boats for fishing are madeof two main materials - metal and plastic. Almost all of them are planing vessels, developing a sufficiently high speed, which allows you to quickly get to the place of fishing. For such ships, the best solution would be to install four-stroke outboard outboard motors that operate stably at low speeds. Four-stroke engines can operate at low speeds for a long time and thus provide a low speed, and this is very important when trolling.
What is better for a motor boat for fishing - metal or plastic? It all depends on the personal preferences of the owner. As a rule, fiberglass vessels have a more attractive and neat appearance than metal ones, but at the same time, the latter are easier to maintain. Practice shows that for personal use the best option is a plastic fishing boat, but metal ones are better for satisfying the needs of fishing bases and other commercial uses.
Combined fishing boat RIB
Another interesting option for fishing boats are combined vessels with a rigid hull and inflatable sides, called RIBs. Their main advantage over other types of ships is high safety and the ability to install additional equipment designed for both inflatable boats and ships with a rigid hull. These vessels are best suited for marine fishing in the coastal zone, as well as in large bodies of water with unfavorable shipping areas. But, unfortunately, the advantages of RIBs have not yet been fully appreciated by Russian lovers of outdoor activities.
Real boats for real fishing
The last segment that closes the chain of boats for sport fishing is vessels with a hull length of more than 5.5-6 m, equipped with a closed control cabin, which allows you to control the vessel during bad weather, and also having a cabin for sleeping and rest of the crew.
In all respects, these are serious vessels, allowing for a long time to be away from the base and having on board everything necessary for a long and relatively comfortable stay. The most common for such vessels is the layout of the Walk around hull, which allows you to freely pass from the stern to the bow of the vessel along the deckhouse on one side and in the same way return back on the opposite side. This is necessary in order to maximize the effective use of the surface area of the surface part, as well as to facilitate the exit from the bow of the vessel when mooring to an unequipped shore.
Very often on board such ships there are special boxes with water, which is constantly saturated with oxygen using an aerator. This is necessary in order to keep the caught fish alive for a long time. On the trolling arc, you can place several dozen fishing rods with bait that runs at different depths, which allows you to catch the entire thickness of the water from bottom to surface in one pass through the place you like. On board such vessels there is a supply of drinking water, a stove for cooking, a refrigerator or even a freezer. Such boats are distinguished from pleasure boats by lower speed and higher seaworthiness, which makes it possible to move a considerable distance from the coast and successfully resist a small storm. Compared to pleasure boats, fishing vessels have a more modest finish,
In all respects, these are serious vessels, allowing for a long time to be away from the base and having on board everything necessary for a long and relatively comfortable stay. The most common for such vessels is the layout of the Walk around hull, which allows you to freely pass from the stern to the bow of the vessel along the deckhouse on one side and in the same way return back on the opposite side. This is necessary in order to maximize the effective use of the surface area of the surface part, as well as to facilitate the exit from the bow of the vessel when mooring to an unequipped shore.
Very often on board such ships there are special boxes with water, which is constantly saturated with oxygen using an aerator. This is necessary in order to keep the caught fish alive for a long time. On the trolling arc, you can place several dozen fishing rods with bait that runs at different depths, which allows you to catch the entire thickness of the water from bottom to surface in one pass through the place you like. On board such vessels there is a supply of drinking water, a stove for cooking, a refrigerator or even a freezer. Such boats are distinguished from pleasure boats by lower speed and higher seaworthiness, which makes it possible to move a considerable distance from the coast and successfully resist a small storm. Compared to pleasure boats, fishing vessels have a more modest finish,